


“If you don't know where you are going any road can take you there”

by LuciaWilt



Series: Cross Time [5]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Crossing Timelines, M/M, Photographs, Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 10:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13385610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciaWilt/pseuds/LuciaWilt
Summary: Staring at it longer and longer, he could spot little things; little things like how this Al looked so happy. Also, he noted the look Roy was giving the younger male pressed up against his side.That was a look of protection.Of possession.Of love.





	“If you don't know where you are going any road can take you there”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what to do with the brotherhood verse brothers. They are such an enigma.

“So this is your office?” Ed asked as he and Al were walked back up through Central Command. Luckily the rain had either deterred people from coming into work, leaving the barracks, or just coming out of their office; giving the group a quick path to Roy’s. 

Roy’s office looked relatively similar to…to well his Mustang’s office. There were just minute differences. The biggest being Havoc was still there. It was hard for Ed to actually look at Havoc so he turned and walked forwards, passing the others and heading into Mustang’s main private office. This one look identical to his other versions. Though there was less paperwork. Maybe a General had more work than a Brigadier General; or maybe this Roy had become more concentrated in his life, after what? What had happened exactly for Roy to lose his eye?

Hawkeye, Roy, and Al all walked in behind him, closing the door so they could have a semblance of privacy. Ed knew better though. The others would be listening through the door; but he couldn’t do anything about that. 

“Yes.” Roy paused as he walked over towards the window; glancing at the rain. It was pretty obvious he wanted to say something, but stopped himself from doing so. That was the first difference between the two Roy’s that Ed noticed; and probably Al noticed as well.

This Roy seemed…solemn. He seemed quiet and thoughtful. Not that their Mustang wasn’t. It was just this one seemed like he had been hurt a few too many times. There was something wild and destructive about their Mustang. The one standing at the window had a fire burning deep, DEEP, down inside of him. It actually kind of ticked Ed off. He frowned and walked over to Roy’s desk. Al followed so they were both standing there in front of it; like they he hadn’t left the military and he was about to give a report or receive an order. “How did you lose your eye?” 

The Brigadier General blinked his one visible eye before turning towards the brothers. There was a strange, sad smile on his face. “Considering I know the two of you are not homunculus, or at the very least I’m taking your word for it,” Roy paused, watching the two nod to let him continue. “When I went to take out Pride, I was stopped by Frank Archer on my way out of the Fuhrers mansion. I assume he knew what I was doing and shot me in the head. The doctors said it was a miracle that I can even speak since the bullet did graze brain tissue. They explained that thankfully, the parts that were hit were directly connected to my eye sight.” Ed and Al were stunned. So wherever they were, there were still homunculus. Or there had been. 

“Are there anymore homunculus?” Al asked, just wanting to make sure. They really were tired of fighting those fools. Both Hawkeye and Roy shook their heads, though Roy was the one to answer. 

“No. You…My Edward and my Alphonse, they took the rest of them out.” No other info; though Ed wasn’t sure how he felt about Roy saying “his Edward and his Alphonse”. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? 

Or maybe it wasn’t that he disliked it…

Maybe that was…

No.

“You aren’t married.” Roy’s voice had Ed shaking out of his thoughts, glancing down to his ring that he still wore. While he suspected Winry knew his true feelings back at home and understood, with sadness in her heart, he never actually took off the ring. He kept wearing it, whether it was for penitence or something else entirely. He was unsure. Never the less it never came off. 

So his counterpart was not married. Ed had a sneaking supcion as to who he was connected with. But he did not want to voice said ideas with Al around. He blinked. “Can you leave for a moment Al?”

“Brother?” Al shuffled but Ed was not backing down.

“Please?” And Al would never say no to those eyes. The younger of the two looked relatively saddened by being asked to leave, but headed out into the front office none the less. With a flick of his head, Hawkeye followed, leaving the two of them alone.

“I suspect you are married to Mrs. Rockbell.” Roy stated. It was still raining and Ed had to wonder if it was the rainy season; after whatever happened to bring them to wherever they were. It rarely rained in his Central. When he did not answer right away, Roy looked over at him with one raised eyebrow. “Am I mistaken?”

“No,” Ed answered a little too quickly, a little too defensively. He blushed and shrugged. “I… things change and people change. That is all.” 

Roy stared at him. It was discerning. Ed’s Mustang could stare at him and Ed would flush, sure. But Roy’s eyes on him now were different. He felt like he was being stared at by a ghost. It took everything for Ed to walk forwards a couple more steps, glancing at the things on Roy’s desk. There were three pictures. One was of him and Maes Hughes which Ed was not all that surprised about. He thought for a moment that he had perhaps seen that exact photo before when he spent time at Mustang’s town house back in his Central. That one had been taken in Ishval and he was sure this one had been as well; considering the tan, desert like background. 

Ed’s eyes flicked over to the next one and he was sure Roy was watching him. This one was more of a shock. The person standing next to Roy looked like him; but wasn’t. The hair was too dark and the eyes too brown. And as much as he hated to admit it, the person was too tall. There were little differences in his face, but the hair and the clothing were nearly identical to Ed’s stuff he used to wear. It took another second or two of Ed staring at the face to realize of course it wasn’t him.

“This is…” He trailed off, picking up the photo.

Roy looked over and the smile made Ed’s stomach twist with a flame of jealousy he couldn’t tamp down quick enough. “Ah yes. That is this… I guess “realties” Alphonse. He took after his brother when Edward was sent to the other side of the Gate. It took quite a toll on him so he decided to bare the mantel of the title “Fullmetal”. Or well, decided to copy his appearance.” The sentence was ended with a tiny laugh and Ed just continued to stare at the photo. He wondered who took it.

Staring at it longer and longer, he could spot little things; little things like how this Al looked so happy. Also, he noted the look Roy was giving the younger male pressed up against his side. 

That was a look of protection. 

Of possession.

Of love. 

What in the world happened in this reality? He placed the photo back down and then picked up the next one. That feeling of jealousy vanished; in a strange way, upon seeing this picture. It was of this worlds Alphonse, this worlds Edward, and this worlds Roy. The three were standing together in what looked to be someone’s back yard. Roy was in the middle, his long arms wrapped around Alphonse’s and Edward’s waist. Al was laughing, Roy was smiling, and this Edward was cheesing pretty damn hard. 

They looked so happy.

They looked like they belonged together. “Why do you have a photo of just you and Alphonse?” The question came out before Ed could stop it, but Roy did not look too upset about it. He actually shrugged. 

“It was when you were on the other side of the Gate. He and I spent time together.” There it was again. On the other side of the Gate, implying one could “go through it” in the first place. This world’s Gate must operate differently than theirs. Though he did not really want to think about that currently. Instead he sighed, placing the photo back down. 

“And it seems as though I’m doomed to be shorter then Al no matter what reality.” Ed’s high pony tail slinked around his shoulder when he head hung forwards. He frowned at Roy’s small laugh but did nothing else; not when Al poked his head back in. They had been listening; not that Ed was surprised. That must be a constant no matter the world, “Team Mustang” was always nosy. 

“They all went for lunch. They wanted me to accompany them, but I thought that would not be prudent as of yet.” Roy nodded while motioning for Al to join them. He stood beside his brother, glancing between the two of them. Al absolutely heard everything, especially with that look on his face. 

It was Roy’s turn to speak though. “I apologize for you two being here. Depending on what the two of you were doing in your reality, it was more than likely my Edward and Alphonse’s fault. They were investigating a rogue alchemist here in Central.”

Ed glanced at Al. “I was traveling outside of the country, headed back into Central actually. Al was still in Xing studying alkahestry.” Roy’s eye widened some, obviously interested, but kept his tongue quiet as he nodded. 

“So it was us. Well, once again I apologize. I am unsure as to how to get the two of you back.”

Al cut him off. “Wait, you are saying that Brother stayed in the military?” Perhaps Al did not hear the part about the Gate. Roy nodded. 

“Yes. When he came back, he and Alphonse decided to stay with us. Alphonse is actually going to take the State Alchemist exam soon.” He said, obviously expecting to get “his boys” back sooner rather than later. 

When Ed turned to look at his brother, he nearly flinched. Al was staring at him with fire in his eyes. “Are you… Are the two of you not in the military any longer?” Roy asked.

Al just shook his head. “One thing lead to another and Brother wanted to get out.” Ed had to thank his lucky stars Al still had enough discretion not to mention the whole “no alchemy” thing. Roy hummed. He probably didn’t believe it all but didn’t say anything about it. 

“The two of you can stay at my town house until we get everything sorted out. It will have something to do with alchemy so we will have to do some digging. For now, it is too late in the day.” Roy said as he looked at his watched. Neither Ed nor Al could tell the time since it was so over cast and rainy; they just had to take his word for it. “We should head out now. We will take an early leave.” It was just a little after lunch, which made them wonder when this realities library closed. 

God Ed’s head was hurting so much. It was all just too much; for them to get caught up in such a mess once again.

Though both had to rely on the Gener-… Brigadier General’s generosity for now. They followed him out of the room; thankfully avoiding a large number of officers on the way out to the car pool. Hawkeye was apparently smart enough to get out there before them and hop into the driver’s seat for she was the one that took them to a rather familiar looking building.

“Hmm, funny.” Ed said to himself. Roy glanced over his shoulder at him; Al making a similar face to Edward’s.

“What?”

“This was the house we woke up in when we first got here.” And after seeing the photos on the Brigadier General’s desk, Ed’s suspicions were becoming more Truth than anything else. 


End file.
